17-Sadie/Donovan

"Don't be so nervous. It's going to be ok." Donnie reaches over and squeezes my knee.

"Who says I'm nervous?" I glance at him sideways, trying to hide behind my fa?ade, but the sexy dimple on Donnie's cheek tells me he knows I'm full of crap.

"You keep biting your thumbnail and your legs won't stop bouncing—" he points to my lower body—" and you're leaning against the door like you're ready to escape." He chuckles at me.

I glare at him, hating and loving how much he knows me. Even after being separated for eight years, he remembers everything about me.

"Is your mommy nervous, baby girl?" he coos. Sophia kicks her legs in excitement and she reaches for Donnie's finger.

Javi invited us over for dinner at his house to get to know us. I felt guilty for wanting to go—like I was betraying Jo somehow.

Curiosity is a bitch.

I was surprised Mom agreed and even more surprised Abuela refused to go. Usually, Abuela enjoys meeting new people as much as watching her telenovela reruns.

"Is this it?" Ash asks as we approach a beautiful brick ranch house located on several acres.

The scene is like the front cover of a magazine—gorgeous.

Giant trees shadow most of the yard, and colorful flowers are placed in perfect symmetry in the flower beds. The colors are not distracting from the house, but they are enough to give it a welcoming feel.

"Yeah, it is," I respond, looking down at the address on my phone to confirm.

Ash shuts off the ignition and looks over his shoulder at me with a smile. "I'll come around and help your mom." He hops out of the car and shuts his door. Ash goes to the back and pulls out Mom's walker while Donnie opens my door.

"Here, I got her." Donnie helps me out of the car and kisses my cheek. I feel my face flush at his affectionate gesture.

"O-nie," Sophia says excitedly, clapping her tiny hands together when Donnie pulls her out of her car seat.

I grab Sophia's diaper bag and follow Donnie up the long smooth driveway to the walkway flanked on both sides with solar lights.

By the time we make it to the porch steps, the front door swings open. Javi steps onto the porch wearing dark jeans, a black polo shirt with a quarter zipper, and loafers. He wrings his hands together with a hesitant smile.

"Hey, you found the place ok?" he asks.

"It's beautiful out here," I say. That seems to ease the tension in his body, and his smile broadens.

"Thank you. Please, come in." He steps aside to let us into the house.

We walk into an open space with vaulted ceilings. I glance around the room and notice how warm and inviting it is, from the soft lighting in the entryway to the Old San Juan painting.

The sweet, smoky smell of barbeque chicken fills the air, making my mouth water. Javi closes the door behind him as we remove our shoes.

"Dinner won't be ready for another few minutes. Make yourself at home." Javi gestures for us to follow him into the living room. The slate blue walls complement the dark hardwood floors. Family photos and quote decals accent the walls. The bay window has a little nook with padded pillows, shelves with books, and a throw draped over the ledge. There are no curtains, allowing the natural light to beam through the house, making the room look bigger.

The baseball game is playing on the enormous flat-screen TV, and two small parakeets in a white cage chirp near the window. As soon as Sophia sees them, she excitedly babbles, scrambling and wiggling out of Donnie's arms to get to them.

"Please, have a seat. Can I get anyone something to drink? We have water, Coke, Pepsi, lemonade, and coffee."

After Javi takes our requests, we make ourselves comfortable on their brown leather sectional, our backs toward the window. Mom sits on the single chair beside us between Ash and Donnie, with Sophia on Donnie's lap.

Javi comes in with a drink in hand, and Gabby follows behind. She gives us a heartwarming smile. "I'm so glad you could all make it."

"Thank you for having us," Mom chirps.

With Gabby on his lap, Javi sits on the other side of the sectional. Javi and the guys focus on the game and make small talk while Gabby and Mom chat about recipes.

Sophia's feet bounce up and down on Donnie's leg as she babbles and points to the birds behind her.

Feeling restless and confined by the overwhelming emotions brewing inside me, I turn to Gabby and ask where the bathroom is.

"Just go down this hall on your left and walk straight down until you hit the last door on the right."

I grab the diaper bag from the floor and Sophia from Donnie's lap. The sudden movement causes Donnie to react by holding her closer to him.

"Are you ok?" he asks with concern in his deep ocean eyes.

"Yeah, I'm just going to take her to the bathroom. I think her diaper's wet." But what I want to say is, "I can't fucking breathe," and that I want to steal Ash's car and drive back to Abuela's house.

Donnie pats Sophia's bottom and face scrunches. "Yeah, she is."

I smiled at the expression on his face.

"I can take her if you want to sit and relax," Donnie offers.

The warm fuzzy feeling I always get whenever Donnie is around and wanting to take care of Sophia and me settles the turbulent waves within me. He is full of goodness and all I want to do is to soak in his warmth. "No, I'm good." I give him a warm smile and walk away with Sophia in my arms.

DONOVAN

My eyes are glued to Shorty's ass in those tight skinny jeans with her daughter attached to her hip as she walks away from me.

When Shorty called, begging me to go with her to this dinner, I didn't hesitate. I would've gone even if she hadn't begged. There isn't one place I wouldn't go without her. If I know my girl well enough, I know she is hurting. To lose Jo and gain another brother might make her feel like she is replacing him.

But she isn't.

I just have to convince her that Jo can never be replaced, but it is ok to make room in her heart for others.

Shorty loves fiercely, regardless of the consequences. She is a giver and never expects anything in return. She deserves to have an army of people surrounding her with love and affection. But my girl is stubborn—a pain in my ass.

"How is she doing?" I turn away from the empty hall to Javi.

"She's doing the best she can," I say, leaning back. Shorty's Mom and Gabby are in their own little world, chatting and looking through photo albums.

"She's tough," Ash adds.

"Yeah, but even the toughest people can break eventually," Javi counters.

Not my girl.

Speaking of…Shorty stands behind Sophia, gently pulling one arm forward and then the other as Sophia takes a few steps toward us. A smile tugs at my lips at Shorty's and Sophia's matching outfits: dark jeans, apple red ruffle tops, and curls braided and wrapped in red ribbons. The only difference is that Sophia's off-the-shoulder red top has straps, unlike Shorty's. My heart warms whenever Sophia's face lights up like a Christmas tree. Her little feet, stepping one over the other, quicken when she sees me. Sophia squeals and giggles the whole way.

My little unicorn will forever be our light in this dark world. She's a mini-Shorty—full of love and brightness.